FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5104

                          C 422 L 97

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Creating the Washington pheasant enhancement program.

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Oke, Loveland, Hale, Morton, Swecker, Rossi, Snyder, West, Bauer, Haugen and Rasmussen).

Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Parks

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

House Committee on Natural Resources

Background:  Pheasant populations, pheasant hunters, and pheasant hunting opportunities have greatly decreased over the last 20 years in eastern Washington.

A program that improves pheasant habitat and plants pheasants for harvest by hunters would increase pheasant hunting opportunities and would provide recreation for an increased number of hunters.

Summary:  Beginning with the 1997 hunting season, pheasant hunters in eastern Washington must pay a $10 surcharge, in addition to other licensing requirements, in order to hunt pheasants.  Funds from the program are utilized to release pen-reared pheasants for hunting, to improve habitat for pheasants, and to provide opportunities for juvenile pheasant hunters.  Production of pheasants in either department operated projects or from private contractors must be based on the least expensive alternative.

The eastern Washington pheasant enhancement account is created.  Revenue from the surcharge is deposited in the account.  The account is subject to appropriation.  Not less than 80 percent of the expenditures shall be used to produce or buy pheasants.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Corrections must jointly investigate the feasibility of producing pheasants with inmate labor at Walla Walla penitentiary or other eastern Washington correctional facilities in comparison to purchasing pheasants from private industry.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 43 0

House     61 34 (House amended)

Senate    37 9 (Senate concurred)

Effective:  July 27, 1997